Cox Internet Plans for Seniors in 2024

Cox Internet Pros and Cons

Cox Internet Plans and Pricing

The below prices represent Cox’s regular internet prices.

Cox Home Internet Plans Compared

Plan Availability

Cox offers service in 670 areas in the U.S. throughout the following states:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• Virginia

Plans and prices may vary by location. Also, availability may vary within states. For example, in Massachusetts, Cox is only available in four spots: Attleboro, Holland, Millville, and Westport.

If your state is not one of the 19 listed above, you may want to consider an alternate provider with more availability. Xfinity, for example, has local stores in 36 states.

The Fine Print

I’ve read it so you don’t have to. Here are all the fees you can expect when you buy your internet from Cox:

• Equipment fees: Seasonal offers aside, Cox’s Wi-Fi equipment adds $15 to your bottom line; it also may require a $50 deposit to begin with if your credit score is low.
• Installation fees: Installation is free if you do it yourself or $100 if you need a Cox professional to do it.
• Price increases: For plans 1 Gig and under, your prices won’t increase for the first 24 months.
• Late fee: Cox won’t charge you any late fees.
• Early termination fee: Cox does not charge early termination fees, either, as all contracts are month to month.
• Discounts for autopay: Since autopay is a requirement with Cox, there’s no discount for it. The only discount you can get is by bundling multiple services together.

Internet Bundles

While Cox offers bundles with phones — Homelife, its smart home technology platform, and TV, both live and streaming — the only bundles that are actually discounted are for internet and TV only. The others do not actually save you money; however, it may be convenient to buy multiple services from one provider. Here are your discounted internet and TV packages from Cox:

While Contour Stream Player lets you stream from services like Netflix and Hulu on your TV, Contour TV Preferred is live TV with over 140 channels. The channels include ESPN, HGTV, USA, TBS, and the Food Network, to name a few.

Cox Internet Senior Plan

Cox does not offer plans or discounts for seniors specifically; however, its ConnectAssist Plan, for $30 per month, offers internet speeds up to 100 Mbps. To be eligible for this program, a person must receive Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, or a Veterans Pension, among other programs. Here is a complete list:

• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Federal Public Housing (Section 8, multifamily units, and Public Housing Authorities)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
• Income less than 200 percent of poverty level. As of 2024, the federal poverty guideline for every state — except for Alaska and Hawaii — and Washington, D.C., is annual incomes of $15,060 for households of one person, $20,440 for households of two people, and so on.
• Medicaid
• Pell Grant recipient for the current academic year
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
• Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefits

For $30 a month, this internet package provides download speeds up to 100 Mbps and free equipment; it also offers up to 1.25 TB of monthly data usage per month, with no charges if you go over. This is by far the most affordable way to get internet from Cox, which normally starts at $50 a month for the same speeds. While 100 Mbps is not fast by any means, it’s enough if you use your computer for basic tasks like emailing or going on social media. See if you qualify on Cox’s website.

My Experience With Cox

Buying internet from Cox was a smooth online experience, which I appreciate as others force you to call them (looking at you, Spectrum!). Once I selected a plan, I chose my Wi-Fi equipment, which was easy — there was only one modem to choose from. Next, I filled out my name, phone number, and email address; then, I verified my identity by entering my previous address, Social Security number, and birth date.

One credit check later, and I didn’t have to make a deposit! Next, I chose two-day delivery; I also could have picked up my self-installation kit from the nearest Cox store in Providence, if I wasn’t so lazy. I entered my payment information, set up paperless billing, and completed my order. From there, I waited for the delivery. I got it a couple days later, and it was time for installation.

Installation

Once I unboxed my kit, I plugged in the gateway to both its coax cable and its power cord — connecting the other sides to my cable and electrical outlets, respectively. I waited about 10 minutes for the gateway to turn on; then I opened the Wi-Fi settings on my iPhone and connected to the gateway. Technically, my internet was already up and running, but I wanted to name my Wi-Fi network, of course, so I downloaded the Cox Panoramic Wifi app; this way I could express myself and choose a clever name. Overall, this was one of the quickest and easiest setup processes I’ve ever seen from an ISP.

Cox App

Cox’s app is available on iOS and Android devices; as far as my internet went, I used it to manage my billing, make payments, and update my payment method; I could also check my data usage, get outage alerts, and view my service details. In addition, I used it to troubleshoot issues if I had a problem or read from the company’s how-to pages. But the app lacked the capabilities like an in-app speed test, which others, like the Xfinity app, included. Still, this is a pretty small gripe, and the app worked well; it has received 4.4 out of five stars on the Google Play store and 4.6 on the App store.

Using My Internet

Since my partner and I both work from home, we need internet that stays connected; it also must boast fast speeds that allow us to do simultaneous Zoom calls, emails, web browsing, and streaming; the latter is if we need a break from work. Fortunately, we encountered no issues when I connected us to Cox internet. I got the speed I paid for, 1 Gig, as confirmed by Google speed tests; I never had any noticeable latency. Even when we had a friend visiting, our internet didn’t slow down a bit.

My Bill

I chose the Go Super Fast Internet package, which promised speeds up to 1 Gig; it cost $80 a month when I bought it in June of 2024 (it’s normally $120, so I really benefited from this offer). Because my credit was good enough to let me avoid putting a deposit down on my Wi-Fi equipment, I avoided spending $50; instead, I only had to pay $15 a month to rent the equipment, bringing my monthly bill to $95. It would have been possible to use my own modem and avoid that $15 a month fee, so I’d recommend that option, if possible.

Cox vs. Spectrum Internet

On the whole, Spectrum internet is more affordable and faster than Cox. For example, each company starts its prices around $50 a month, but Spectrum customers will receive speeds up to 300 Mbps; Cox customers will be moving at one-third of the pace. Additionally, Spectrum has no equipment or overage fees nor long-term contracts, making it more flexible, as well.

Finally, both companies offer low-cost internet deals for recipients of government programs like Medicaid, but Spectrum’s offer is $10 a month cheaper. When it comes to saving money, I’d recommend Spectrum over Cox; however, you should field offers from both providers, as prices can differ based on your location.

Bottom Line

In terms of pricing, Cox is far from the cheapest option around; its prices start at $50 a month for download speeds only up to 100 Mbps. However, if it’s your only option, it will provide reliable service. Additionally, prices are much more reasonable if you qualify for ConnectAssist, which should apply to many seniors. It may also be worthwhile if you bundle your internet service with TV, phone, and/or smart home technology.

The best way to find out if an ISP is right for you is to enter your address on its website or call and get a quote. Prices differ based on your residential address, so be sure to figure out what each plan will cost before choosing a provider. Alternatively, if cost is the most important factor to you, read our guide to the best cheap internet for seniors.